Table of Contents: June 2013

Compared to the important effort devoted to the genetic and molecular study of the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria parasites, relatively few studies have considered the ecological context in which mosquitoes and parasites interact. Recent studies reveal a great diversity of ways in which environmental conditions interfere with the mosquito immune response and parasite development, with far-reaching evolutionary and epidemiological implications. However, much research remains to be done. For example, in addition to feeding on blood, malaria vectors readily use natural plant nectars as sources of energy. Whether natural plant diversity affects mosquito competence for malaria parasites remains to be discovered. See Lefèvre et al.